Client Success Story: AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca Helps Keep Employees “On Their Toes”
Summary
AstraZeneca Management Training Lead, Valerie Dowell, recently facilitated the first of three mandatory training sessions for newly appointed managers using techniques learned in the Leadership Strategies 4 day workshop – The Effective Facilitator.
“We are still talking about the facilitation training experience…using the skills every chance we get. I will continue to use my reference material to improve and enhance my facili-trainer skills!”
-Valerie Dowell, Management Training Lead, AstraZeneca
Challenge
AstraZeneca is a leading pharmaceutical company with a biologics capability. The company focuses on 6 therapy areas where they feel they can make the most difference with their skills and resources. Those areas include some of the most serious illness throughout the world. They operate in countries across the globe and employ more then 65,000 people.
Valerie Dowell, Management Training Lead with AstraZeneca was recently charged with the task of training newly promoted managers. Some of the areas she knew she would want to handle successfully were:
- Keeping the group engaged
- Developing ideas
- Flip charting
Solution
Richard Smith, Principal Facilitator with Leadership Strategies, was brought in to train 15 AstraZeneca employees on utilizing effective facilitation techniques to drive team results. Richard customized Leadership Strategies’ standard 4 day workshop – “The Effective Facilitator”. The final, tailored two day agenda focused in on the course modules most needed by AstraZeneca managers.
The two days were packed with not only a wealth of knowledge but practical examples and exercises to drive home the points. Some of workshop topics included:
- Setting meeting ground rules
- Establishing meeting rights
- Engaging the group
- Starting with I-E-E-I (inform, excite, empower, involve)
- Building consensus
Result
In Dowell’s most recent training session, she had 19 newly appointed managers to take through the required training. She was able to confidently apply what she learned in The Effective Facilitator workshop and continues to rave about her results.
“…I used the “Ground Rules” to establish room decorum and the flip chart techniques… to review and expand ideas. That was especially useful in keeping the last 19 attendees on their toes and not bored…WhooHoo!”
-Valerie Dowell, Management Training Lead, AstraZeneca
